Part 11

In Tenedos I met by accident, two French Merchants of Marseills, intending for Constantinople, who had lost their ship at Sio, when they were busie at venereall tilting, with their new elected Mistresses, and for a second remedy, were glad to come thither in a Turkish Carmoesalo. The like of this I have seene fall out with Seafaring men, Merchants, and Passengers, who buy sometimes their too much folly, with too deare a repentance. They and I resolving to view Troy, did hire a Jenisarie to be our conductor and protector, and a Greeke to be our Interpreter. Where when we landed, we saw here and there many relicts of old walles, as we travelled through these famous bounds. And as we were advanced toward the East part of Troy, our Greeke brought us to many [The Tombes of Trojanes.] Tombes, which were mighty ruinous, and pointed us particularly to the Tombes of Hector, Ajax, Achilles, Troylus, and many other valiant Champions, with the Tombes also of Hecuba, Cresseid, and other Trojane Dames: Well I wot, I saw infinite old Sepulchers, but for their particular names, and nomination of them, I suspend, neither could I beleeve my Interpreter, sith it is more then three thousand and odde yeares agoe, that Troy was destroyed.

Here Tombes I viewd, old monuments of Times, And fiery Trophees, fixd for bloody crimes: For which Achilles ghost did sigh and say, Curst be the hands, that sakelesse Trojanes slay; But more fierce Ajax, more Ulysses Horse, That wrought griefes ruine; Priams last divorce: And here inclosd, within these clods of dust, All Asiaes honour, and cros'd Paris lust.

[Priamus pallace.] He shewed us also the ruines of King Priams Palace, and where Anchises the father of Æneas dwelt. At the North-east corner of Troy, which is in sight of the Castles of Hellesponte, there is a gate yet standing, and a peece of a reasonable high wall; upon which I found three peeces of rusted money, which afterward I gave two of them to the younger brethren of the Duke of Florence, then studying in Pretolino: The other being the fairest with a large Picture on the one side, I bestowed it at Aise in Provance upon a learned Scholler, Master Strachon, my Countrey man, then Mathematician to the Duke of Guise, who presently did propine his Lord and Prince with it.

[A description of Troy.] Where the pride of Phrygia stood, it is a most delectable plaine, abounding now in Cornes, Fruites, and delicate Wines, and may be called the garden of Natolia: yet not populous, for there are but onely five scattered Villages, in all that bounds: The length of Troy hath been, as may be discerned, by the fundamentall walls yet extant, about twenty Italian miles, which I reckon to be ten Scottish or fifteene English miles; lying along the sea side betweene the three Papes of Ida, and the furthest end Eastward of the River Simois: whose breadth all the way hath not outstripd the fields above two miles: The Inhabitants of these five scatterd Bourges therein, are for the most part Greekes, the rest are Jewes, and Turkes.

[The Authors portracture.] And loe here is mine Effigie affixed with my Turkish habit, my walking staffe, & my Turban upon my head, even as I travelled in the bounds of Troy, and so through all Turkey: Before my face on the right hand standeth the Easterne and sole gate of that sometimes noble City, with a piece of a high wall, as yet undecayed: And without this Port runneth the River Simois (inclosing the old Grecian Campe) downe to the Marine, where it imbraceth the Sea Propontis: A little below, are bunches of grapes, denoting the vineyards of this fructiferous place; adjoyning neare to the fragments and ruynes of Priams Pallace, surnamed Ilium: And next to it a ravenous Eagle, for so this part of Phrigia is full of them: So beneath my feet ly the two Tombes of Priamus & Hecuba his Queene: And under them the incircling hills of Ida, at the West South west end of this once Regall Towne; & at my left hand, the delicious and pleasant fields of Olives and Figge-trees, wherewith the bowells of this famous soyle are interlarded: And here this piece or portracture decyphered; the continuing discourse, inlarging both meane & manner.

Troy was first built by Dardanus sonne to Corinthus King of Corinth, who having slaine his brother Jasius, fled to this Countrey, and first erected it, intituling it Dardania: Next it was called Troy of Tros, from whom the Countrey was also named Troas: It was also termed Ilion of Ilus, who built the Regall pallace surnamed Ilium: This City was taken and defaced by Hercules, and the Greecians, in the time of Laomedon, himselfe being killed the latter time: Lastly, Troy was reedified by Priamus, who giving leave to his sonne Paris to ravish Helena, Menalaus wife, enforced the Greekes to renew the auncient quarrell: Where after 10. yeares siege the Towne was utterly subverted, Anno Mundi 1783.

[Homer and Virgil upon Troy.] Whence Princely Homer, and that Mantuan borne, Sad Tragicke tunes, erect'd for Troy forlorne; And sad Æneas, fled to the Affricke Coast, Where Carthage groand, to heare how Troy was lost: But more kind Dido, when this wandring Prince, (Had left Numidia, stole away from thence) Did worser groane; who with his shearing sword, Her selfe she gor'd, with many weeping word. O deare Æneas! deare Trojane, art thou gone? And then she fell, death swallowed up her mone: They land at Cuma, where Latinus King Did give Æneas, Lavinia, with a Ring. Where now in Latium, that old Daidan stocke Is extant yet, though in the discent broke.

[Rash Judgement.] On the South-west side of Troy, standeth the Hill Ida, having three heads. On which Paris out of a sensuall delight, rejecting Juno, and Pallas, judged the golden ball to Venus, fatall in the end to the whole Countrey. The ruines of which are come to that Poeticall Proverbe:

Nunc seges est ubi Troja fuit.

Now Corne doth grow, where once faire Troy stood, And soyle made fat, with streames of Phrygian blood.

Leaving the fields of noble Ilium, we crossed the River of Simois, & dined at a Village named Extetash: I remember, in discharging our covenant with the Janisary, who was not contented with the former condition, the French men making obstacle to pay that which I had given, the wrathfull Janisary belaboured them both with a cudgell, till the bloud sprung from their heads, and compelled them to double his wages. This is one true note to a Traveller (whereof I had the full experience afterward) that if he cannot make his owne part good, he must alwayes at the first motion content these Rascals; otherwise he will be constrained, doubtlesse, with stroakes, to pay twice as much: for they make no account of conscience, nor ruled by the Law of compassion, neither regard they a Christian more than a dogge: but whatsoever extortion or injury they use against him, he must be French-like contented, bowing his head, and making a counterfeit shew of thankes, and happy too oftentimes, if so he escape.

[Sestos and Abydos.] Hence we arrived at the Castles, called of olde Sestos, and Abydos, in a small Frigot, which are two Fortresses opposite to other: Sestos in Europe where Thracia beginneth; and Abidos in Asia where Bithinia likewise commenceth, being a short mile distant, and both of them foure leagues from Troy. They stand at the beginning of Hellespont, and were also cognominate the Castles of Hiero and Leander, which were erected in a commemoration of their admirable fidelity in love.

Which curling tops, Leander cut in two, And through proud billowes, made his passage goe; To court his Mistresse: O Hiero the faire! Whom Hellespont to stop, was forc'd to dare: Sweet was their sight to other, short their stay, For still Leander, was recald by day. At last sterne Æole, puft on Neptunes pride, And gloomy Hellespont, their loves divide: He swimmes, and sinkes, and in that glutting downe, The angry Fates, did kind Leander drowne: Of which when Hiero heard, judge you her part, She smote her selfe, and rent in two her heart.

But now they are commonly called the Castles of Gallipoly; yea, or rather the strength of Constantinople, betweene which no Shippes may enter, without knowledge of the Captaines, and are by them strictly and warily searched, least the Christians should carry in Men, Munition, or furniture of Armes, for they stand in feare of surprising the Towne: And at their returne they must stay three dayes, before they are permitted to go through, because of transporting away any Christian slaves, or if they have committed any offence in the Citty, the knowledge thereof may come in that time.

At that same instant of my abode at Abidos, there were fourescore Christian slaves, who having cut their Captaines throat, with the rest of the Turkes, [Christian slaves fled from Constantinople.] runne away from Constantinople with the Galley. And passing here the second day thereafter at midnight, were discovered by the watch of both Castles, where the Cannon never left thundring for two houres; yet they escaped with small hurt, and at last arrived in the Road of Zante; desiring landing, & succour, for their victuals were done: victuals they sent them, but the Governour would not suffer them to come on Land. In end, the Sea growing somewhat boysterous, the slaves for an excuse cut their Cables, and runne the Galley a shoare: Upon this they were entertained in service, but the Providitor caused to burne the Galley, fearing least the Turkes should thereby forge some quarrell. The yeare following, an other Galley attempted the same, but the poore slaves having past the Castles, had bene so wounded and killed with the great shot, and the Galley ready to sinke, they were enforced to runne a shoare, where the next morning being apprehended, they were miserably put to death. Betwixt the Castles and Constantinople, is about fourty leagues. Over this straite Xerxes did make a bridge of boates to passe into Greece, which when a sudden tempest had shrewdly battered, he caused the sea to be beaten with 300. stripes.

[The sorrow of Xerxes.] And at that same time Xerxes passing over the Hellespont, and seeing all the sea cled with his Army, his Horses, Chariots, and Ships, the teares burst from his eyes: and being demanded the cause of his griefe? answered, O, sayd he, I weepe because within a hundreth yeares, all this great and glorious sight, shall be dissolved to nothing; and neither man, nor beast shall be alive, nor Chariot, nor Engine of Warre, but shall be turn'd to dust; and so I sorrow to see the short mortality of Nature. Indeed it was a worthy saying, from such a Heathnish Monarch, who saw no further, than the present misery of this life.

Here I left the two French men with a Greeke Barbour, and imbarked for Constantinople, in a Turkish Frigato. The first place of any note I saw, within these narrow Seas, was the auncient Citty of Gallipolis, the second seate of Thracia, which was first builded by Caius Caligula, and sometimes had beene inhabited by the Gaules: It was the first Towne in Europe, that the Turkes conquered; and was taken by Solyman sonne to Orchanes, Anno 1438.

North from Thracia lyeth the Province of Bulgaria commonly Volgaria, and was called so of certaine people, that came from a countrey, neere to the River Volgo in Russia, about the yeare 666. It lieth betweene Servia, Thracia, and Danubio, and by the Auncients, it was thought to be the lower Mysia (but more justly the Region of Dacia.) The chiefe Towne is Sophia, which some hold to be that Towne, which Ptolomeus named Tibisca.

Here in Thracia lived the Tyrant Polymnestor, who treacherously murthered Polidorus a yonger sonne of Priamus: For which fact Hecuba, the young Princes mother scratched him to death. Here also reigned the worthy King Cotis, whom I propose as a paterne of rare temper, in maistering and preventing passion: To whom when a neighbour Prince had sent him an exquisite present, of accurately wrought glasses; he (having dispatched the messenger with all due complements and gratitude of Majestie) broke them all to peeces: Least by mishappe, any of his Servants doing the like, might stirre or move him to an intemperate choller.

[Mount Athos.] The Greekes here, and generally through all Greece, beare as much reverence and respect to Mount Athos, as the Papists beare to Rome: All of which Religious Coliers or Friers, must toyle and labour for their living, some in the Vines, some in the Corne-fields, and others at home in their Monasteries, or else where abroad, are alwayes occupied for the mainteining of their Families: They are but poorely cled, yet wonderfull kinde to all Viadants; so that who so have occasion to passe that Mountaine, are there lodged, and furnished of all necessary provision of food, by these sequestrat or solitary livers, whose simple and harmelesse lives, may be tearmed to be the very Emblemes of Piety and Devotion; knowing nothing but to serve God, and to live soberly in their carriage.

The chiefest Cities of Thrace, are Constantinople, Abdera, where Democritus was borne, who spent his life in laughing, Sestos, Gallipoli, Trajanople, Galata, and Adrianopolis, which was taken by Bajazet, Anno. 1362.

As we sayled betweene Thracia and Bithinia, a learned Grecian brought up in Padua that was in my company, shewed me Colchis, whence Jason, with the assistance of the Argonautes, and the aide of Medeas skill, did fetch the golden fleece. [The Sea Hellespont.] This Sea Hellespont tooke the name of Helle daughter to Athamas King of Thebes, who was here drowned; and of the Countrey Pontus, joyning to the same Sea, wherein are these three Countries, Armenia minor, Colchis, and Cappadocia. After we had fetcht up the famous City of Calcedon in Bithinia on our right hand; I beheld on our left hand, the Prospect of that little World, the great City of Constantinople; which indeed yeeldeth such an outward splendor to the amazed beholder, of goodly Churches, stately Towers, gallant Steeples, and other such things, whereof now the World make so great accompt, that the whole earth cannot equall it. Beholding these delectable objects, we entred in the channell of Bosphorus, which divideth Perah from Constantinople. And arriving at Tapanau, where all the munition of the great Turke lyeth, I adressed my selfe to a Greeke lodging, to refresh my selfe till morning.

But (by your leave) I had a hard welcome in my landing, for bidding farewell to the Turkes, who had kindly used me three dayes, in our passage from the Castles, the Maister of the boate saying, adio Christiano: There were foure French Runnagats standing on the Kaye; [A harsh arrivall.] who hearing these words, fell desperatly upon me, blaspheming the name of Jesus, and throwing me to the ground, beate me most cruelly: And if it had not beene for my friendly Turkes, who leaped out of their boate and relieved me, I had doubtlesse there perished. The other Infidells standing by, said to me, behold what a Saviour thou hast, when these that were Christians, now turned Mahometans, cannot abide, nor regard the name of thy God; having left them, with many a shrewd blow, they had left me, I entred a Greeke lodging, where I was kindly received; and much eased of my blowes, because they caused to oynt them with divers Oyles, and refreshed me also with their best entertainement, gratis, because I had suffered so much for Christs sake, and would receive no recompense againe. The day following, I went to salute, and doe my duety to the right Worshipfull Sir Thomas Glover, then Lord Ambassadour for our late Gratious Soveraigne King James, of blessed memory, who most generously & courteously entertained me three moneths in his house, to whose kindnesses I was infinitely obliged: as hereafter in my following discourse of the fourth part of this History, shall be more particularly avouched: for certainely I never met with a more compleat Gentleman in all my travells; nor one in whom true worth did more illustrat vertue.

THE FOURTH PART

Now sing I of Bizantium: Bosphors tydes, Twixt Europe, and the lesser Asia glydes: Their Hyppodrome, adorn'd with triumphes past, And blackish Sea; the Jadilecke more fast: The Galata, where Christian merchants stay, And five Ambassadours for commerce aye: The Turkish customes, and their manners rude, And of their discent, from the Scythian blood: Their harsh Religion, and their sense of Hell: And Paradice: their lawes I shall you tell: Then last of Mahomet, their God on earth His end, his life, his parentage and birth.

Constantinople is the Metropolitan of Thracia, so called of Constantine the Emperour, who first enlarged the same: It was called of old Bizantium, but now by the Turkes Stambolda, which signifieth in their language, a large City: It was also called Ethuse, and by the Greekes Stymbolis. This City (according to auncient Authors) was first founded by the Lacedemonians, who were conducted from Lacedemon, by one Pausanias, about the yeare of the World 3294. which after their consultation with Apollo, where they should settle their abode and dwelling place, they came to Bithinia, and builded a City which was called Calcedon. But the commodity of fishing, falling out contrary to their expectation, in respect that the fishes were affraide of the white bankes of the City; the Captaine Pausanias left that place, and builded Bizantium in Thracia, which first was by him intituled Ligos. By Pliny, Justine, and Strabo, it was surnamed Urbs Illustrissima, because it is repleate with all the blessings, earth can give to man; yea and in the most fertile soyle of Europe.

Zonoras reporteth that the Athenians, in an ambitious and insatiable desire of Soveraignty, wonne it from the Lacedemonians: They thus being vanquished, suborned Severus the Romane Emperour, to besiege the same: But the City Bizantium being strongly fortified with walles, the Romanes could not take it in, untill extreame famine constrained them to yeeld, after three yeares siege: and Severus to satisfie his cruelty, put all to the sword, that were within, and razed the walles, giving it in possession to the neighbouring Perinthians. This Citie thus remained in calamitie, [Bizantium reedified by Constantine.] till Constantine (resigning the City of Rome, and a great part of Italy to the Popish inheritance or the Romane Bishops) reedified the same, and translated his Imperiall seate in the East, and reduced all the Empire of Greece, to a unite tranquilitie, with immortall reputation, which the Parthians and Persians had so miserably disquieted.

But these disorders at length reformed by the severe administration of Justice, for the which, and other worthy respects, the said Constantine sonne of Saint Helen, and Emperour of Rome (which afterward the Pope usurped) was surnamed the Great. He first in his plantation called this Citie new Rome; but when he beheld the flourishing, and multiplying of all things in it, and because of the commodious situation thereof, he called it Constantinoplis, after his owne name. This Emperour lived there many prosperous yeares, in most happy estate: likewise many of his successors did, untill such time, that Mahomet the second of that name, and Emperour of the Turkes; living in a discontented humour to behold the great and glorious dominions of Christians; especially this famous Citie, that so flourished in his eyes, by momentall circumstances, collected his cruell intentions, to the full height of ambition; whereby he might abolish the very name of Christianity, and also puft up with a presumptuous desire, to inlarge his Empire, went with a marvellous power, both by Sea and Land, unto this magnificent Mansion.

The issue whereof was such, that after divers batteries and assaults, the irreligious Infidels broke downe the walles, and entred the City, which breach was about forty paces long, as by the new colour being built up againe, is easily knowne from the old walles: where when they entered, they made a wonderfull massacre of poore afflicted Christians, without sparing any of the Romane kinde, either male or female. In the mercilesse fury of these Infernall Impes, the Emperour Constantine was killed, whose head being cut off, was carried upon the point of a Launce through all the City, and Campe of the Turkes, to the great disgrace and ignominy of Christianity. His Empresse, Daughters, and other Ladies after they were abused in their bodyes, were put to death in a most cruell and terrible manner.

By this overthrow of Constantinople, this Mahomet tooke twelve Kingdomes, and two hundred Cities from the Christians, which is a lamentable losse, of such an illustrious Empire. Thus was that imperiall Citie lost, in the yeare 1453. May 29. when it had remained under the government of Christians, 1198. yeares. It is now the chiefe abode of the great Turke Sultan Achmet, the fifteene Grand Cham, or the line of Ottoman, who was then about twenty three yeares of age; whose sonne [Foure Emperours one after another distressed.] Osman since, and after his death, was murdered by the Janizaries, being 14. yeares of age, after his returne to Constantinople from Podolia in Polland: And in his place, his Unkle Mustaffa made Emperour, whose weaknesse and unworthinesse being eft soones discoverd, he was displaced, and Amurath Osmans brother made Grand Signior, who presently raigneth, and not without great feare of his Janizaries and Timariots, who twice in three yeares have lately made insurrection against him. This Emperour Achmet, who was alive when I was there, was more given to venery, then martialitie, which gave a greater advantage to the Persians in their defensive Warres.

Concerning the Empire, we may observe some fatall contrarieties in one and the same name: For Phillip the Father of Alexander, layd the first foundation of the Macedonian Monarchy, and Phillip the Father of Perseus ruined it. [Contrarieties of fortune.] So was this Towne built by a Constantine, the Sonne of Helena, a Gregory being Patriarch; and was lost by a Constantine, the sonne of a Helena, a Gregory being also Patriarch. The Turkes have a Prophecy, that as it was wonne by a Mahomet, so it shall be lost by a Mahomet.

The forme, or situation of this Citty, is like unto a Triangle, the South part whereof, and the East part, are invironed with Hellespontus, and Bosphorus Thraicus; and the North part adjoyning to the firme land. It is in compasse about the walles, esteemed to be eighteene miles: in one of these triangled points, being the South-east part, and at the joyning of Bosphore and Hellespont, standeth the Pallace of the Great Turke, called Seralia, and the Forrest wherein he hunteth; which is two miles in length.

The speciall object of Antiquity, I saw within this Citty, was the incomparable Church of Saint Sophia, whose ornaments and hallowed vessels, were innumerable in the time of Justinian the Emperour, who first builded it; but now converted to a Moskuee, and consecrate to Mahomet, after a diabolicall manner.

[Hyppodrome.] I saw also the famous Hyppodrome, and the Theater whereon the people stood, when the Emperours used to runne their Horses, and make their Princely shewes on solemne dayes, which is now altogether decayd: There is a great Columne in that same place, in the which all these things memorable, that have bene done in this Hyppodrome, are superficially carved.